Klaxon Signals has developed a new range of fire signalling devices Sonos Pulse fire beacons and sounder beacons emit a high-brightness pulsating light, complying with the new European standard EN54-23 for visual alarm devices. By using light, Sonos Pulse beacons reach those who may be audibly impaired, or those working in noisy environments, achieving effective evacuation. Pulse Alert Technology disperses light evenly, providing maximum coverage using minimal consumption. Sonos Pulse devices are designed to fulfil evacuation requirements with just a single device for most rooms, reducing costs and increasing energy efficiency. Sonos Pulse devices use the same base connections as previous models; upgrading existing systems to use EN54-23 compliant products is typically a simple process. EN54-23 specifies the minimum performance requirements for visual alarm devices. Klaxon Signals has exceeded these requirements, ensuring all personnel are alerted in a fire emergency. For more information about Sonos Pulse fire beacons and compliance with EN54-23, please visit the company’s new dedicated fire evacuation website at www.klaxonsignals.com/fire or call +44 (0)1706 233879 to speak to an expert.

In Kansas City, Missouri  Search crews are picking through rubble as they search for a missing employee after a gas explosion destroyed a restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. Seven people injured in Wednesday evening’s blast and inferno at JJ’s eatery remain in hospital, two critically. At least seven others were treated and released after the explosion in the Country Club Plaza retail centre. Officials suspect a utility contractor accident could be to blame. A woman, an employee of the restaurant, remained missing on Wednesday morning. A doctor with St Luke’s Hospital told reporters two of the injured being treated there were in critical condition, one with "pretty severe burns". Six others walked into the hospital with minor injuries. The Kansas City Star reported a total of 15 patients across three area hospitals, including St Luke’s Hospital. Sniffer dogs were being used to search the smouldering wreckage for bodies, city officials said. First images from the scene showed firefighters and other emergency teams battling a massive blaze that appeared to have engulfed an entire block. Jill Chadwick, spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Hospital, said one patient had told her that the restaurant was being evacuated when the blast happened and the roof fell in. "This patient told me there had been the smell of gas and that they had evacuated any patrons and that employees of the restaurant were in the process of shutting off gas valves and trying to get out of the restaurant when there was the explosion," she told the BBC. "He said the last thing he remembered was the roof collapsing. I asked him how he got out and he said the front of the restaurant was blown away and he just walked through the rubble." The initial blast was felt beyond the shopping area. Matthew Noonan, who lives just under one mile away, told the BBC: "My wife and I were in the house playing with our daughter when something shook our windows. It sounded like a loud thunderclap, and we were pretty sure it was an explosion. Just after that we saw it come on the news. "The severity of the explosion is quite shocking." Peggy Zilm, who lives about seven blocks from the fire, told the Star: "I thought something had exploded in my house." The shopping area, established in 1922, is based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, and includes retail, restaurants, apartments and offices. There were signs saying that utility work was being carried out in the area ahead of the blast, and one man told told the Star he saw Missouri Gas Energy workers inside JJ’s with gas detectors.

Peter Frost has 40 years of experience  C-TEC is delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Frost to its Board of Directors. Currently employed as a consultant by the leading life-safety equipment manufacturer, Peter has over 40 years’ experience of working in the fire industry and chairs a number of prestigious British Standards Institution Committees including FSH12 Fire Detection and Alarms. Peter’s impressive career began in 1970. After graduating from London University’s King College with a BSc Honours Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, he joined a small company where he designed a flame detection and extinguishing system specifically for use in the textile industry. This was followed by a year as a design engineer for a fire alarm manufacturer and a period of self-employment designing, installing and maintaining fire detection systems. In 1980, he joined the Fire Offices Committee (now the Loss Prevention Certification Board) in London, where he ran the Fire Insurers’ approval scheme of fire detection equipment and represented the fire insurance industry on a number of British Standards Committees. Following appointments on BASEC (British Approval Service for Electrical Cables) and BASEEFA (British Approval Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres), Peter was asked by the British Standards Institution to take on the chairmanship of their fire detection – International Coordination – panel. Over the last 32 years, Peter has chaired several fire detection and alarm sub-committees, represented the UK at European and International fire detection committee meetings and convened several European and International Standards Working groups. He was appointed Chairman of the overall British Standards fire detection technical committee in 2012. Said Andrew Foster, C-TEC’s Managing Director: "I am thrilled to appoint someone of Peter’s calibre to this role. Peter has demonstrated exceptional professional and personal qualities during the eight years he has worked at C-TEC and he will undoubtedly be an asset to the Board. His experience is certain to prove invaluable as we embark on the next phase of C-TEC’s expansion by launching some highly innovative new product ranges." Said Peter: "C-TEC is a remarkable company with an incredibly low staff turnover. I consider it a privilege to support the Directors and Managers in looking after our employees and advising in areas such as quality assurance, product standards and approvals and the environment. I believe my new appointment as Director, Health and Safety Advisor, demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to ensuring its staff work safely in a healthy environment." C-TEC is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of life-safety equipment including fire alarm control panels, voice alarms, call systems, power supplies and disabled refuge systems. The company’s revolutionary new range of ZFP 2-8 loop touch-screen controlled analogue fire alarm control panels represent a major breakthrough in fire alarm technology with their flexible modular design and massive capability.

Carnival Triumph is stranded after engine fire  Passengers on a stranded cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico have told US media of worsening conditions two days after an engine fire crippled the vessel. They say toilets are overflowing, there is no air-conditioning and passengers are queuing for hours for food. The Carnival Triumph will now be towed to Mobile, Alabama, instead of a Mexican port after drifting 90 miles (145km) north of its original location. The vessel was supplied with food from another cruise ship on Monday. A similar fire incident left Carnival passengers stranded in the Pacific for three days in 2010. ‘Stink’ On Monday, a passenger told ABC News by text message that cabin toilets were overflowing and the carpets were wet with water and urine. Other passengers reported no air-conditioning inside cabins and an increasing stink inside the ship from sick passengers and a lack of food refrigeration. Brent Nutt told the Associated Press that while those on board were being fed, his wife, a passenger, told him the vessel was becoming increasingly dirty. "There’s water and faeces all over the floor,” he said. "It’s not the best conditions. You would think Carnival would have something in place to get these people off the ship.” A Carnival spokesman confirmed that some passengers were sleeping on the vessel’s deck in tents. The ship is carrying over 4,000 passengers and crew. A second tug boat arrived on Tuesday at the ship’s location to help tow the 101,000-tonne vessel towards Alabama. The journey is expected to take three days in current sea conditions. In a statement, Carnival chief executive Gerry Cahill said the ship should arrive in Mobile on Thursday and that the change would allow for less complicated re-entry for passengers without passports. The plan was originally for the vessel to be towed to Progreso, Mexico, before it drifted northward. The Triumph left Galveston, Texas, last Thursday and had been due to return on Monday. The cruise ship has cancelled its next two scheduled trips. Courtesy of the BBC

Event will take place at the ExCel  UBM Live, today announced that the UK-based Protection & Management Series – including IFSEC International, FIREX International, Safety & Health Expo and Facilities Show – will move from Birmingham’s NEC to ExCeL London in June 2014. The decision comes at the end of a 12 month period of research and consultation with stakeholders across all communities, which resulted in overwhelming support for a move to London in 2014. The research concluded that re-locating to the UK Capital would ensure the events would continue to be easily accessible for existing visitors as well as allowing the Series to take advantage of London’s status as a global business destination to attract even greater numbers of international attendees: increasingly important to all our exhibitors and partners. In addition, ExCeL London, as a leading international venue will enable visitors to circulate between the four events more easily. As visitors’ requirements have changed over recent years, the Series has witnessed more and more visitors wishing to experience all the shows, not just one. The layout of the shows at ExCeL will ensure an enhanced visitor experience, easier navigation and ultimately a better return on their time. “The move back to London after 16 successful years at the NEC is informed by extensive customer research and is a natural progression for the Series as the markets we serve become increasingly international. We are very excited at the prospect of a move to ExCeL which will enable us to continue to grow these enormously successful events by taking advantage of both the benefits of a London location and the ability to attract new visitor sectors” commented Simon Parker, Managing Director, UBM Live London. Leading figures across all industry sectors support the reason behind the move with the British Security Industry Association (BSIA); Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH); Fire Industry Association (FIA) and British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) confirming exclusive support for the events. Exhibitors from all four events are wholly supportive of the move. Simon Everest, Head of the Security Directorate, in UKTI DSO summed up sentiments expressed across the board, "UKTI have been a long term active partner and supporter of UBM’s Protection & Management Series (IFSEC, FIREX, and Safety & Health Expo). I am delighted to see that UBM Live is relocating to London, taking on board feedback from their customers. A move to London offers UK businesses an exciting global stage to develop export opportunities". CEO of UBM Live, Simon Foster expressed UBM’s commitment to the decision, “We would like to thank the NEC for the part they have played in the sustained success of the Protection & Management Series. UBM Live has a clear strategy to evolve and innovate and, having thoroughly researched the proposal with our stakeholders, moving to London means we can fully engage with our communities internationally whilst enhancing our offering to those in the UK. Our commitment to indispensible content underpins all of our events and the experience we can offer at ExCeL London will be both thought-provoking and memorable for all of our customers.” The Protection & Management Series will continue to provide visitors with access to unparalleled expertise through a comprehensive range of exhibitors; ground-breaking innovations and the most up-to-date legislation and compliance information. Visitors and exhibitors will enjoy doing business in a world-class venue and we look forward to introducing a range of exciting new attractions in 2014, to be announced over coming months. ExCeL London and the surrounding area – including the O2 complex – offer an array of entertainment options to event attendees, including fabulous opportunities for corporate hospitality, and an abundance of hotel rooms to cater for all budgets. The excellent international links to the venue, including Eurostar and five international airports, support London’s reputation as an exceptional business destination whilst visitors from the UK will experience easy access to the capital by both road and rail. The Protection & Management Series will take place at ExCeL London from, 17 -19 June 2014.

Connector boats to be part of comprehensive flood response plan Rescue ONE has announced that it has secured an order for 75 rescue boats for the country of Thailand. The order will be shipped in phases over the next 6 months set for an in service date of late 2013. Rescue ONE, in partnership with DLM Solutions, headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, has been awarded a project to equip Government agencies with Rescue ONE Connector Boats outfitted with outboard engines, command consoles, rescue platforms, and emergency light bar mounting racks. In addition to the boats, DLM will be building Rescue ONE’s specially designed double-stacked trailers to enable 38 rescue stations around the country to be equipped with 2 boats transported on one trailer. "This truly validates the Connector Boat as the premier solution for flood response worldwide" says Rescue ONE’s president, Taylor Edge. "Tremendous thanks are extended to DLM Solutions for believing in the Connector Boat system and demonstrating its value to Government officials in Thailand." "DLM believes in the unique capabilities the Connector Boat brings to flood rescue and the strong partnership it has developed with Rescue ONE. We are proud to be able to provide this flood response boat system to our country’s rescue agency" Says DLM managing director Jarin Srikaewpraphan. In late 2011, Thailand was severely affected by flooding accounting for over 800 deaths and 13.6 million people affected. These floods prompted the Government to seek new solutions to dealing with flood rescue and evacuation.

For firefighting vehicles  Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, and the leading U.S. manufacturer of fire and emergency vehicles, today announced full participation in New Jersey’s first-ever state sponsored cooperative purchasing program for fire and emergency apparatus. Pierce’s contract (#A83457) is effective immediately and runs through January 2018. “By providing fire departments with a broad selection of vehicle choices from multiple manufacturers, this New Jersey state contract enables precisely what was intended,” said Bobby Williams, Pierce Manufacturing vice president of sales and marketing. “We are confident that fire departments, after close evaluation, will see the many advantages Pierce offers in terms of quality, performance, long-term value and low cost of ownership.” In effect, the cooperative group purchasing program opens up an extensive selection of Pierce vehicles to municipal New Jersey fire departments, so that they can order and quickly receive Pierce apparatus. The program is an organized state effort to obtain pricing and contract process efficiency benefits for municipal fire departments. “We’re excited to participate in the program, and we applaud the state for quickly putting it in place – especially in light of the severe damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to fire apparatus across the state,” said David Russell, president of Fire and Safety Services, Ltd., the Pierce dealer for New Jersey. “In addition, our team of 14 salespeople – all current or former firefighters – understands that fire departments need vehicles and after-the-sale support they can count on for the long term. We treat every truck as if it were our own. It’s as simple as that.” Pierce has developed a comprehensive list of vehicles – including pumpers, rescues, tankers, aerials, and wildland trucks – that can be easily ordered through the program. To help educate fire departments on the wide range of vehicles that qualify, Fire and Safety Services has posted component lists for all available vehicles on its website at www.f-ss.com.

Chevron accused of poor safety standards  California regulators want Chevron fined $1 million for violations of worker safety laws stemming from the Richmond refinery fire in August, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The state agency that enforces workplace safety, Cal/OSHA, said Chevron had failed to properly account for the risk of corrosion to pipes such as the one that failed at the refinery Aug. 6. Twenty workers were nearby and narrowly escaped injury when a leaking cloud of hydrocarbon vapor ignited. Some 15,000 people went to hospitals for exams or treatment after a cloud of black smoke floated over Richmond and surrounding cities. Chevron said this week that it has paid $10 million to local hospitals that have filed claims with the company for reimbursement. Cal/OSHA’s proposed $963,000 fine against Chevron — stemming from 25 violations of state worker law — is based in part on the company’s failure to anticipate the corrosion that high-temperature, sulfur-laden oil would cause. An agency probe found that Chevron had considered replacing the pipe as long ago as 2002. By the time the pipe ruptured, it had lost more than 80 percent of its thickness to corrosion, a separate federal investigation has found. Read more of the story here.

25 dead, scores injured (Reuters) – Emergency services worked into the early hours of Friday to find people trapped in rubble under state oil company Pemex’s headquarters in Mexico City after an explosion that killed at least 25 people and injured more than 100. Scenes of confusion and chaos at the downtown tower dealt yet another blow to Pemex’s image as Mexico’s new president courts outside investment for the 75-year-old monopoly. Search and rescue workers picked through debris, and investigators sifted through shattered glass and concrete at the bottom of the building to try to find what caused the blast. It was not clear how many might still be trapped inside. Pemex, a symbol of Mexican self-sufficiency as well as a byword in Mexico for security glitches, oil theft and frequent accidents, has been hamstrung by inefficiency, union corruption and a series of safety failures costing hundreds of lives. Thursday’s blast at the more than 50-storey skyscraper that houses administrative offices followed a September fire at a Pemex gas facility near the northern city of Reynosa which killed 30 people. More than 300 were killed when a Pemex natural gas plant on the outskirts of Mexico City blew up in 1984. Eight years later, about 200 people were killed and 1,500 injured after a series of underground gas explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second biggest city. An official investigation found Pemex was partly to blame. Pemex initially flagged Thursday’s incident as a problem with its electricity supply and then said there had been an explosion. But it did not give a cause for the blast. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a preliminary line of inquiry suggested a gas boiler had blown up in a Pemex building just to the side of the main tower. However, he stressed nothing had been determined for sure. Others at the scene said gas may have caused the blast. Not long after the blast, President Enrique Pena Nieto was at the scene, vowing to discover how it happened. "We will work exhaustively to investigate exactly what took place, and if there are people responsible, to apply the force of the law on them," he told reporters before going to visit survivors in hospital. Shortly after midnight, at least 46 victims were still being treated in hospital, the company said. Pemex said the blast would not affect operations, but concern in the government was evident as top military officials, the attorney general and the energy minister joined Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong for a late news conference. "I have issued instructions to the relevant authorities to convene national and international experts to help in the investigations," Osorio Chong said. He later noted that the number of casualties could still climb. Whatever caused it, the deaths and destruction will put the spotlight back on safety at Pemex, which only a couple of hours before the explosion had issued a statement on Twitter saying the company had managed to improve its record on accidents. Nieto has said he is giving top priority to reforming the company this year, though he has yet to reveal details of the plan, which already faces opposition from the left. Both Pena Nieto and his finance minister were this week at pains to stress the company will not be privatized.